Jr English Crucible Act 2

Explain why golden candlesticks hurt John Proctor's prayer.

Because he doesn't like Parris and how he thinks that looking luxurious and like you are wealthy is more important than practicing your religion with what was given to you.

In what way could John view his wife's arrest as evidence of the hand of God? Which character would likely plant this idea in his head? When?

That it is a punishment from him sinning by committing adultery. Hale puts this in his head when he questions Elizabeth's faith.

John says, "It's winter in here yet." Explain the double-meaning of this line.

The double-meaning is that he senses a coldness between Elizabeth and him after she found out about his affair and that there is nothing in the house to brighten the decor.

When they're speaking alone about Abigail, Elizabeth catches John in a lie. What's the lie? Why does this make her lose all faith in her husband?

The lie is that he told Elizabeth first that him and Abby were talking in a group of people and he actually confessing to her later that they were alone. This makes her loose all faith in him because he lied to her about the girl he had an affair with to Elizabeth which makes her feel like she is not loved or important enough to be told the truth to.

Elizabeth suspects that her husband is not entirely over his warm feelings for Abigail. Is she right or wrong?

Elizabeth is wrong in thinking that her husband still has feelings for Abigail because John continuously tells Abby is their encounter in Act 1 to stop thinking about it, not expect him to be coming back for her, and that he will "Cut off his hand before he ever reaches for her again" (Miller 1270).

Give two examples of how Elizabeth hurts her own defense in this scene.

Elizabeth says that if she is accused of being a witch then she doesn't believe in them which goes against the gospels and makes Hale think that she and her family are not as Christian as they say they are and she says that Abby is murder when she is the one accused of hurting Abby.

John says, "The promise a stallion gives a mare I gave [Abigail]," yet Elizabeth knows that "there is a promise made in any bed." What does Elizabeth understand about young women like Abigail that John does not?

Elizabeth understands that young girls like Abigail would think his actions means he loves her.

What's the irony of John recitation of the Ten Commandments?

He forgets the one commandment he has broken.

Write the simile that John uses when he talks about fighting to protect his wife.

He says "I will fall like an ocean on that count! Fear nothing."

Looking back to Act 1, what role did Giles Corey play in the arrest of his own wife?

He told Hale that he could not pray when his wife was reading strange books in a corner.

It's been seven months since the affair between John and Abigail ended, and tension continues to hang over John and Elizabeth's relationship. Give two examples from early in the scene where John appears to be trying to make peace and please his wife.

One example of him trying to please her is by him saying that if he gets enough money from harvesting his crop he will buy a heifer for her. Also, he compliments her cooking and asks her to come pick flowers with him on the farm.

Explain the no-win situation that Mary Warren now faces.

She is afraid Abby will kill her so she can't go against Abby and charge her with murder so Elizabeth will get blamed.

It's been eight days since Rev. Hale's arrival and 39 people have been arrested as suspected witches. Tonight, we learn that Goody Osburn has been convicted and will hang, yet Sarah Good, who confessed, will be spared and sent to jail instead of being hanged. What "evidence" led to Sarah Good's confession?

She mumbled the commandments.

What extreme physical action does Abigail take in her efforts to frame Elizabeth Proctor? What does this show us about Abigail?

She stabs herself in the stomach with a needle after knowing that Mary was given a doll to Elizabeth while it still had the needle stuck in its stomach. This shows the reader that she will do anything to have John to herself and that she may be a little crazy.